Olive pomace was used to prepare cellulose by alkaline solution extraction,then microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) was obtained by further hydrolysis of cellulose with 2 mol/L HCl and H2SO4.Water-holding capacity (WHC),oil-holding capacity (OHC) and swelling capacity were measured and analyzed.Differential scanning calorimeter (DSC),Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR),X-ray diffraction (XRD),scanning electron microscope (SEM) and confocal laser scanning microscope(CLSM) were used to evaluate the physicochemical properties of primary cellulose and MCC.The results showed that morphology changed from loose to ordered array with rod-shape after hydrolyzing with H2SO4 and HCl.Besides,WHC and swelling capacity were increased.The crystallinity and crystal size of H2SO4-MCC are 75.77% and 5.35 nm,and that of HCl-MCC are 64.92% and 4.96 nm,respectively.Compared with the primary cellulose,emulsification characteristics of MCCs were also improved.FTIR spectra proved the lignin and hemicellulose degraded after acid hydrolysis.DSC results showed MCC had higher water evaporation temperature but lower thermal degradation temperature.